Cindy Knoke

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Ellie Seal Pups~

Piedras Blancas in California has a thriving rookery of Northern Elephant Seals, a sub-species of the largest seals in the world reaching up to 5000 pounds and 16 feet in length. Pups are born here mostly in the month of January.

Births peak mid January.
Over 5000 births occur annually here. Some nice mamas like this one, feed pups other than their own!

Elephant seals nurse for about a month, during this time, mothers stay with pups continuously and do not return to to the sea to feed until weaning is complete.

Elephant Seal milk is the richest milk in the mammalian world, which it needs to be since elephant seals grow so rapidly. This cheeky seagull pecked this little pup causing him to unlatch during nursing, releasing milk, which the seagull tried to drink!

Mama obviously did not approve!
There are still newborns in the rookery now, identifiable by their neonatal folds.

Maternal infant bonds are evident and strong! Mamas can be seen frequently kissing pups.
Northern Elephant Seal populations were hunted to the brink of extinction and by the late 1800’s there were under 100 of them left worldwide. The species has made a remarkable come-back due to conservation efforts and marine mammal protections.

Cheers to you from the friendly ellie-pups at Piedras Blancas Rookery~

They wander around, get lost, and then cry. The rookery is crowded and the adults so massive, they really can get lost. Some mamas bite the lost little ones, and others nurse them. Seems kinda like differential personality distribution in humans!

I loved your narrative, Cindy. What a sweet set of photos. I first saw elephant seals at Ano Nuevo here in Northern California. We were allowed to get about twenty feet away, which, given the size of the bulls was plenty close. I’m so happy they’ve come back from the brink.

I have heard a lot about Ano Neuvo and will visit someday. I am so glad there are established colonies in both places and I hope protections stay in place so they do not become extinct! In San Simeon the seals spread far past the rookery, with beaches full of adolescents, males and female adults. One must be careful not to get too close because you can walk along the road side and there is a massive male around the corner!

Wow! These seals are huge and the pups – super cute. I like the seagull photos. Funny. Don’t mess with a Mama! Thank you for introducing me to these precious seals. I am thankful they are making a comeback.I just googled them Southern elephant seals are even bigger. Holy moly! I am guessing the Northern seal is still endangered. Fantastic photos. 💚

Actually the northern elephant seal is no longer endangered which is an amazing conservation success story considering there were much less then 100 left alive in the entire world, but like all species, they are dependent upon the goodwill of humans in order to remain alive. And yes, those southern elephant seals are very big boys! I saw them in the southern ocean. Incredible creatures. You did some good research here Nancy. I am impressed, and the elephant seals, and I, thank you.

I didn’t smell this. They don’t eat while in the rookery, so I assumed this was why there was no odor. I have been there a couple of times and never smelled anything, but I did hear the bellowing bulls, and crying calves. Interested that you noticed odor and wonder why I didn’t?

Oh Cindy, they look so adorable! I’m amazed, they are huge (well, the name says it all, doesn’t it) and quite different to the grey seals with their white pups on our coast …
Hooray for conservation efforts and marine mammal protections! And hooray for your fabulous post! 🙂

I laugh remembering what a devoted mom I was because I hardly ate warm let alone hot food when my son was young. To think of going without food for a month. Now that is maternal love and dedication. Loved all the photos but especially the first one. He looks like he needs his nose kissed.

So many babies!! What an interesting animal– Is Piedras Blancas a beach near Cambria? We saw elephant seals there once, but I don’t remember the name the beach. Your photography is amazing Cindy. thanks blog-friend!!

I can’t believe I missed this gorgeous post!
Well, now I found it & the seal pups are adorable. I’m very heart sick and humiliated that our last Prime Minister reinstated the Pup Seal hunt in Labrador. I hope this changes.
In the meantime, Gulls will be Gulls! I laughed at the one in your post trying to get some milk. I thought I’d seen every sneaky Gull trick in the book. Hahha! My fave is when they pretend to be ducks.

Gulls stole silver napkin rings for years off the outdoor tables of a posh hotel restaurant where I grew up. No one knew what they did with them. Years later they were restoring the hotel’s bell tower and found a pile of years worth of stolen silver napkin rings!
When my son was three we were at the beach for Easter. He was given a little mechanical yellow duck. A gull swooped down and stole it from him. He looked at the gull closely and told me, “Don’t worry. He will bring it back.”
I tried to let him down gently, telling him the gull would not do that, but he was unconvinced.
Hours later as we were packing up to leave the gull swooped back down and dropped the duck in the sand. Matt retrieved it and the mechanical motor was neatly pecked out of the duck. He looked at me and said, “You didn’t believe me. I told you he would bring it back.”
Since that day I have had a great respect for gulls, and the mystery of human/ wild animal relationships.

Your posts are always fascinating and informative, Cindy. I don’t always have time to read the many interesting comments you elicit (and am frequently remiss in adding to them) – but I love following you. Your photos are amazing, btw. (overused word, but apt in this case).

Well, next you and I are going (you’re coming with me right?) to Eastern Europe, Greece, Alsace and Germany for six weeks. We have an apartment in Alsace for two weeks where I plan to eat, cook and not gain weight. I haven’t figured out precisely how I am going to do this yet!

I hope people someday don’t feel the need you’ll any wild animals when fish, other animals can be multiplied in captivity. I still eat farm grown chicken, pork and beef. I also agree people can not eat animal meat, if you want to keep and protect all animals.

Those pups are just so cute — their wrinkles and whiskers and big eyes. The scavenging seagull’s behaviour doesn’t surprise me. They’re good at edging towards something and going for the grab, and of course, they love pecking the top of milk bottles, so why not get in on the action when it’s on “seal tap”? In my town, seagulls snatch sandwiches out of people’s hands.

Gulls stole silver napkin rings for years off the outdoor tables of a posh hotel restaurant where I grew up. No one knew what they did with them. Years later they were restoring the hotel’s bell tower and found a pile of years worth of stolen silver napkin rings!
When my son was three we were at the beach for Easter. He was given a little mechanical yellow duck. A gull swooped down and stole it from him. He looked at the gull closely and told me, “Don’t worry. He will bring it back.”
I tried to let him down gently, telling him the gull would not do that, but he was unconvinced.
Hours later as we were packing up to leave the gull swooped back down and dropped the duck in the sand. Matt retrieved it and the mechanical motor was neatly pecked out of the duck. He looked at me and said, “You didn’t believe me. I told you he would bring it back.”
Since that day I have had a great respect for gulls, and the mystery of human/ wild animal relationships.

Oh, Cindy, those are two such wonderful stories. I guess that seagull was just checking the mechanical yellow duck to see if there was any food inside, although it was odd that your son knew it would return the toy to him. Where those silver napkins in a state worthy of restoration, or had the gulls pecked them too badly and the silver tarnished beyond recovery?

I love it that you resonate with these true seagull tales Sarah! Thank you. The world is full of fabulous mystery isn’t it. I have no idea if the napkins rings were polishable and I do think you are right about the motor. Seagulls are really smart. He may have wanted to figure out what the motor was all about. Why he brought it back and how Matthew knew this stands as one of those amazing mysteries that children and wild creatures can bring us. ❤